Read a full match report from the Aviva Premiership fixture between
Northampton and Bath from Franklin's Gardens on Saturday Feb 23, 2013.

Two tries from Jamie Elliott kept Northampton in the hunt for a top four finish after a pulsating finish against Bath at Franklin's Gardens.

With 20 minutes to go, Northampton looked to be heading towards a routine home win at 20-9 in front, but young referee Luke Pearce sparked the game into life by awarding a controversial penalty try and when centre Semesa Rokoduguni followed up with an another, Bath led 23-20 with 10 minutes to go.

But England discard Ben Foden sent Elliott over for his second try with seven minutes left and Northampton clung on for a vital win.

The hosts were lucky to lead at half-time with Bath having plenty of chances in their 22. With Dylan Hartley on England duty Mike Haywood took over at hooker and overshot his first lineout throw inside his own 22.

It gave Bath enough pressure to win a penalty and take a fifth-minute 3-0 lead through Tom Heathcote.

Stephen Myler brought the home side level five minutes later, but the home lineout was faltering badly, with Haywood missing his man four times in a row.

However, Northampton's first try came from Bath losing ball from their own lineout in their 22. Rob Webber's errant throw was scooped up by flanker Ben Nutley and when Northampton went wide Myler threw a big miss-pass to Elliott.

It bounced and looked to have killed the winger's chances but the academy product gathered and powered through Nick Abendanon to score.

Heathcote chipped over another three points to make it 8-6 after 28 minutes.

Saints were still without Brian Mujati - the South African tighthead - who has been out since Christmas with a calf injury, but with Tom Mercey in his place the pack still powered a penalty out of Bath which Myler slotted to make it 11-6.

The Bath pack took over in the scrum. And when a good kick by experienced scrum-half Peter Stringer put Saints under all sorts of pressure in their 22, they turned over a scrum five metres out.

Ben Skirving picked up and looked certain to score but was somehow stopped on the line by Saints. A penalty from Heathcote at least meant the visitors earned something for their pressure.

Their play deserved a try and they should have had one a minute before the break, but Abendanon missed rugby's equivalent of an open goal.

The Bath full-back knocked on when he only had to pick up the ball and dot down after Foden had been caught out of position by the Abendanon's kick from his 22.

Abendanon missed another opportunity at the start the second half when Heathcote had dodged GJ Van Velze and sent Bath sprinting from 22 to 22 only for the Bath full-back to lose the ball forward trying to offload.

Another scrum penalty saw Myler make it 14-9, before replacement hooker Ross McMillan steadied the lineout for Saints to get their maul going and it earned two more penalties for Myler to make it 20-9.

Then referee Pearce intervened, shocking the home crowd by awarding a penalty try to Bath to bring them back into the game.

The scrum collapsed with Bath motoring forward but it was seven metres from the line and it was the first time they had been penalised for the offence. Heathcote converted to make it 20-16 with 17 minutes left.

Five minutes later Rokoduguni intercepted a pass on his 10m line and raced under the posts for Heathcote to convert and put Bath 23-20 in front.

But Saints re-took the lead with Elliott's second try with seven minutes left. A good chase and tackle from wing James Wilson saw Carl Fearns turned over on his 10m line and Saints powered forward to eventually find the overlap for Foden to send Elliott over.